Campaign of the Month:
June 2012

Crimson Skies

Smriti's Journal Entry 13

So, for many years, more than I can remember (and at least a few of which I have lived multiple times), I and my friends have talked of “the CURSE of the lamp”. Recent events have made me question our verb-age. It is obviously very annoying when one or more of us get sucked into the damned thing, but I am beginning to think that there is some good “force” behind it. A few weeks ago, or days…time gets a little confusing with more and more trips into the lamp recently, all of us but Dusky were sucked into the lamp and deposited on COLD snowy, forbidding mountain in Kaidan. We later learned, from Kumori, that we had stumbled into an ancient Kidanese legend. We nearly stumbled into our deaths. I was sucked out before the rest, but they were basically saved by the lamp too. We finally joined Dusky in Drusas. as she had basically continued our planned trek. There was some political intrigue that the boys and Dusky were dealing with when I finally arrived. Iz was still lost to the lamp at this point. By the time I got caught up to what was happening I got sucked back in. The lamp has been especially hungry lately it seems. It has given a lot of time to think and consider our mission and our journey. We will soon be headed to Kushar. I have very mixed feelings about heading “home”. The Lamp, in some ways, feel more like home than Kushar does. I spent 2 years there, most of the time I spent alone. It turned me into a very introverted person, I still find that I am having to “relearn” how to exist in a more social environment. Kushar seems like some past life, not merely a few years ago. The fact that anyone who would even remember me will have been dead for over 100 years by the time I finally get there does not help in my feelings of distance from Kushar. I suppose, when we do get there I will want to see the graves of my family (both my biological one and my Sisters at the monastery). I will want to see the monastery, but I am not sure that I will be allowed, given the changes that have happened there. I feel that there is some force drawing back home that is bigger than my simple desire for home… maybe it is the same force, or similar to the one behind the lamp. I am not sure, but I also think there maybe something in the lamp I am meant to find… every time I get sucked in, it is to a new place. I have learned more about the impossible palace in the last few weeks than in the 2 years I spent here last. I hope to discuss these feelings with Kumori, as he seems as “cursed” as I have been of late.

The last time I came out of the lamp, I was very pleasantly surprised to, once again be in Dusky’s company. It was she, Iz and I. The boys were nowhere to be found, off fighting the big bad monster that had been plaguing the town. We were obviously quite worried, but there was nothing that we could do about it. We had a really good day, just getting the chance to hang and talk. I learned more about Dusky’s past and her feelings about Calliope. I have known some about Dusky’s past for a bit, but she went further (those feelings and memories, obviously being closer to the surface with her being together with Calliope). When we reunited with the boys, and found them safe, even if a bit roughed up, we made plans to leave the city. We did participate in the Moon Mellon fight… which was a flippin blast!! It was an unholy mess, but soooo much fun. When the time came to leave we found that Calliope had basically dumped Dusky. All of us have seen that Calliope was not a very nice person and only concerned with herself and her power climb, but Dusky being a friend we kept our mouths shut. I am sure that Dusky will need the ever deepening friendships she has with us all to help her see that this is for the best… Good thing that the road is a very good place to spend hours talking things out and feeling the healing powers of the open sky and a good group of friends.

And speaking once again of the lamp… it seems it is Dorak’s turn to make his exploration of the impossible palace. Perhaps I will make our very next fireside chat one that is dedicated to the Impossible Palace.